Over 60 Million Ash killed inMidwest since 2006

Officials State: This epidemic will last 8 - 12 years, until the Emerald Ash Borer has eliminated all unprotected Ash trees in the area, its'only food source. When the unprotected Ash trees are all dead, the Emerald Ash Borer will be as well, and all that will remain are the protected Ash trees.

If you compare the cost of 8 - 12 years of treatment vs. removal cost of your trees, you will see that treatment is often less or equal to the cost of removal.

So either way you will spend money, however by choosing treatment, you also get to keep your Ash trees : )

Eco-friendly treatment. Treatment solution is completely contained within tree, making it safe for pets and children to be in contact with treated trees.

Ash trees are dead within 2 – 5 years of initial infestation. Intial infestations were being detected in mass locally in 2008. - You remember the purple traps hanging from the trees - that was their purpose, to record EAB activity.

Prevention
Treatment is the only defense. Once an Ash tree is infested and over 50% of the canopy dies off, removal becomes your final option. - Once a section of your tree has been damaged and dies, it cannot be brought back. The tree can be saved, but the shape will be abstract. - Treat before damage occurs

It is most ideal to have trees treated early spring, as most damage occurs from the feeding Ash borers late Spring, Summer and Fall. However, treatment can be administered at just about anytime during the year, except in the coldest parts of the winter.

Typically in the months of May & June, the adult EAB fly and spread to Ash trees in the area, mate and lay 70 – 90 eggs each. The eggs hatch within a week and 70 – 90 tiny Emerald Ash Borer larvae bore their way through the bark into and begin feeding on the living vascular tissues of the tree.

On average, the immediate cost for removal is 650% more than treatment.
Typically any tree with less than 30% canopy dieback is worth treating/saving. If a trees' canopy has died back more than 30% it becomes questionable as to whether treatment will be effective to bring the tree back to health.

The initial indication signs are microscopic and by the time the signs become clear that your trees are infested, usually the borers have already caused detrimental damage to your tree. So the universal suggestion: Treat every tree that you want to remain healthy and alive,and remove all of the ones that you do not.

This epidemic is being compared to the Dutch Elm disease of the past, however we are smarter, more aware, and more capable of containing and limiting the damage caused through intentional treatment and removal of Ash trees. By taking action now, we will have much less of a problem later

May/June Adults bore out of tree, mate, lay 70 – 90 eggs, and Die; Eggs hatch in 1 week, Larvae bore into the living tissues of the tree where they feed up until Winter by chewing s-shaped tunnels beneath the bark. Dormant through the winter.

Emerald Ash Borer Prevention & Treatment

Preserving Indiana's Ash Trees from Infestation

Research & Resources

Emerald Ash Borer - www.emeraldashborder.infoThis Web site is part of a multinational effort in Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Missouri, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Canada to bring you the latest information about emerald ash borer

Purdue EAB Research Site - www.extension.entm.purdue.edu
Tracking the EAB in Indiana. Heavily envolved in the national Emerald Ash Borer research team